As the weather grows colder you may notice your skin growing dryer and duller. One of the ways to combat these unwelcome changes is by using a good exfoliator.

Now you definitely want to be choosey about which one you use. If you can find one that is totally chemical (no scrubbies) that’s best, but if not search for one that boasts round microbead type scrubbies. If the little granules are rough, it will prove harsh on your skin causing microscopic scratches that lead to irritation and breakouts.

With this product you get the best of both worlds. AHA (alpha hydroxy acids) and BHA (beta hydroxy acids) are comprised of organic acids such as Salicylic (willow tree), Glycolic (sugar cane), and Lactic (milk). So don’t let the word ‘chemical’ or ‘acid’ scare you!

It doesn’t really have a smell, it bubbles up nicely, and you seriously only need a pea size amount!

You can use it up to three times a week; I would suggest in the evening because you don’t want to expose your nice fresh skin to the sun because it will burn easier. Also, do a little prep wash before you use it for better results!

It contains 6.75 fl. oz. and you can get it at Sephora for $36 or Murad’s website for the same price. I know that is ALOT of money but I’ve had this product for a couple months now and as you can see I hardly put a dent in it. So trust me, it’s worth it!

I hope you found this info helpful! Do you have any scrub favorites? Please share below!

Settling into the house four months ago I neatly placed all my jewelry in a drawer…never to see daylight again. I’m the kind of person that if I don’t see my jewelry, I don’t wear my jewelry. But all that changed when I discovered this simple project on Pinterest (of course)!

If you’re looking for a new way to display your jewelry, or just aim to get it out of the drawer, this is a very nice and EASY option.

What you will need:

A frame (got mine at IKEA for about $26)

Lace (ribbon and material work as well)

Scissors

Hot glue gun

First thing you do is remove the glass and paper from the frame and tuck it somewhere safe for future use with anything else you might think of!

Then you will push down all the little metal tines out of the way.

Then you take your lace or material of choice and map out its placement.

Next you will get your hot glue gun and start gluing the lace pieces to the back of the frame.

After the glue has hardened trim off any excess material and there ya have it!

I think the only downside is that if you hang objects that are a bit on the heavy side the lace will droop as you can see in some of the photos; but other than that its perfect!

So a couple days ago I decided to celebrate the birthday of one of my dearest friends by throwing her a surprise party!

The idea came to me a couple months earlier when I was browsing Etsy for a unique gift for her. During that time I was thinking about all the things she was constantly doing for her family and friends; if you follow her blog you know what I’m talking about. She has been either the Bridesmaid or Maid of Honor in four weddings including my own in a span of four months. And owning those titles means involvement with plans and set up of not just the wedding, but the bridal and intimate (lingerie) showers as well. And on top of that, she threw a surprise party of her own for her oldest brother!

As I was pondering all these things I thought, “What am I thinking? This girl doesn’t need a gift; she needs a party!” A party that she doesn’t have to pay for, design, or even know about; a party to thank and appreciate her for all she has done.

I kept it simple inviting close family and friends only and went with a black and white pattern theme that had punches of gold and rich purple (I chose purple because it seemed that every event she was involved in was either peach or mint). I had everyone sign a mug for her to keep, and created homemade French Macaron favors for everyone to take home!

Your hair is curled, makeup done, dress is on, and all you have to do is enjoy the special moments of watching your dear friend or family member get ready to meet her groom….THEN BAM. Whether it’s a tear in her dress or a sudden bout of cotton mouth; here you will find a list to help stock your wedding day emergency kit!

#1 WATER

Pack lots of it; whether the wedding begins in the morning or evening you need to see to it that the bride is well hydrated. Now you will be tempted to buy those adorable paper straws so that she won’t ruin her glossy lips. In that case you have to be sure to bring cups as well because it’s a real pain trying to fish those out of a water bottle. I find ‘to go’ cups that come with their own straws are best, and since they have lids she’s less likely to spill.

#2 SNACKS

Nourishment is just as important as hydration; so be sure to pack healthy snacks to ward off hunger and headaches. Also choose snacks that don’t require refrigeration as those aren’t always handy.

#3 TYLENOL

Or whatever medicine you prefer for headaches.

#4 TRAVEL SIZE DEODORANT

When brides are nervous or excited and thrown out of their normal morning routine, this step is easily forgotten.

#5 FLOSS

Or whatever you use to fish out little specks of food from your teeth.

#6 BABY POWDER

This is the bride’s unsung hero! Dab it around her inner thighs (don’t be shy with the amount) before she slips on the dress or walks down the aisle to minimize moisture from sweat.

#7 SMALL PACK OF TISSUES

Aside from pre ceremony tears, you can fold a tissue up super small and all of you can hold one behind the stems of your bouquets during the ceremony.

#8 TRAVEL SIZE HAND SANITIZER AND LOTION

#9 Q TIPS

For quick makeup fixes or just in case she forgot to take care of her ears this morning too!

#10 SEWING KIT

Make sure it has thread that matches the brides dress.

#11 BAND-AIDS

Because you never know!

#12 BOBBY PINS

#13 MINTS

#14 CHAPSTICK

I know it’s a lot but trust me, it will give all of you peace of mind and quite a bit of it will come into play throughout the wedding day!

I am saying yes to carrots and you should too. If you’re like me and have combo/dry skin or if your face is very dry I strongly suggest picking this gem up ASAP!

This cleanser is just as it describes; nourishing and CREAMY. Now I exaggerated the creamy bit because a cream cleanser means that it most likely WON’T bubble up and you need only use a PEA size amount… whaaaa?! That’s right, so that tube is gonna last you a quite a while.

It smells like baby lotion (and I compared ingredients) and trust me, they are nothing alike. This of course contains carrots (which provides that lovely hydration), as well as soothing aloe, and vitamin E and green tea to provide some much needed antioxidants! But that’s just to name a few of its many beneficial ingredients!

I picked this baby up at Target for $7.99 (before tax) which is the normal price you would pay on an average face wash, but considering the ingredients this is a steal! You can also find this at Wal-Mart as well as some drugstores.

So to all my peeps who need that extra hydration, GO GET THIS NOW, you’re welcome. P.S. Don’t forget to moisturize!

I love Old Pasadena; I literally want to pack up my things and move there right now!

It was the first trip for both the hubbs and I and we were not disappointed. Everywhere we turned there were gorgeous brick walls, rich architecture, fabulous restaurants, and plenty of shops!

Two story F21!

Ok so let me tell you about my Intelligentsia Coffee & Tea experience. The ambiance was amazing, the staff was awesome, but I was in no way prepared. On their small and simple menu I failed to notice the cold drinks that they offered and blindly ordered a Machiatto. I was greeted with this adorable little cup of jo that just about killed me! I’m not a hardcore coffee drinker, alright? I like my super creamy, flavored Starbucks and I don’t care what you hipsters say!

After that, we grabbed lunch at a quaint lil restaurant called IL FORNAIO which turned out to be a lot more upscale than we thought. The servers were more serving than we’re used to, EVERYTHING was in Italian, and everything was delicious!

I wish our Salvation Army looked like this!

Ice cream is one of my edible weaknesses, so naturally I go for its rich Italian version for dessert!

Old Pasadena you were amazing, and I look forward to visiting you again very soon.

Lately I have been overwhelmed by an immense amount of blessings! I’ll list a few below:

1 We recently were able to start painting the house (which made an awesome difference)

2 We opened up our home for a GORGEOUS bridal shower

3 It was my birthday a couple days ago and my sweet friend put together a fun outdoor soiree

4 Totally was not expecting to receive gifts from the above soiree but made out like a bandit

5 And one of the most sweetest blessings; being a part of a ministry that will be taking off soon

That was a few of many things that have been showering my heart with joy and thankfulness.

Now my point of this post is not to say that ‘yet I’m still wanting’ or how ‘I don’t recognize them for the blessings they are’, but to simply share how this has so amazed and humbled me! I mean, who am I that God would pour out all these blessings over me, and keep pouring?!

I’ve done absolutely nothing to deserve this…and perhaps that’s the point. I believe that this time around, God has intended to be glorified within the sweet moments that I’m pondering all the wonderful things He has done for me. Like how He provides in such a way that I can randomly surprise a friend for lunch. Or when I choose the wrong paint color and we’re able to go back and get the right one (more on that in a later post). Or when I feel blah and such a slacker housewife and am greeted in the morning with a note of appreciation for all the work I do.

I cannot express to Him my thankfulness and amazement! What can I do but offer my heart in humble praise?

First of all, if you get this product, shake it up really good before you use it because the time it spends sitting on store shelves causes slight separation which isn’t uncommon with natural, organic, or waterproof products. I forgot this when I first put it on and it felt thick and chalky!

Now for the application:

You literally need only a dime size amount!

Next gently rub in hands then spread evenly over face and up the neck. Now due to the SPF (sunscreen) it will look a little bit pasty (which will set those with darker complexions on edge) but trust me it does soak in and disappear! After spreading, pat it in til your skin has completely absorbed it.

This product has that lovely, citrusy, lavender smell and is very light with a watery feel. It also has an SPF of 15 which is always a plus!

Now my skin is combination (oily/dry) that leans more towards dry; so unfortunately this product was just under the right amount of hydration for me. However, those with combination/oily to oily skin this product will be great. And Lavender is a soothing ingredient so it’s great for those who have a little sensitivity as well (this product also boasts that it’s hypoallergenic by the way).

Now I got mine here (yes I love Vitacost) but I’m sure you can find it wherever organic and natural products are sold.

Bare in mind that normally moisturizers come in 1fl. oz. sizes. Lets say you would normally pay around $7 for a decent moisturizer, with this one I paid about $1.66 an oz. (not including shipping); and since this is for day time moisture only (because of SPF) using the proper amount will make this product last months, possibly a year!

So if your skin is on the oily side I highly suggest giving this a whirl; however, if your skin is on the dry side like mine, hold off for something with a little more hydration.

Do you have a favorite moisturizer you can’t live without? Please share!

I had my hubby grill these up yesterday and oh my goodness, we were in heaven!

The key is the marinade and the honey. If you try this recipe you won’t be disappointed!

What you will need:

(For the Marinade) I pretty much eyed everything but these are around about the measurements.

1/3 cup Olive Oil

1/4 cup Lemon Juice (fresh is always better but that’s what I had on hand)

1/4 cup Steak Sauce

1 Tbs. Garlic Powder

2 Tsp. each of Dried Basil & Dried Parsley

1 Tsp. each of Sea Salt & Pepper

Whisk it all up, and marinate two precut, thin pieces of beef (I used thin because it cooks faster) in fridge for a few days!

Now for the Goodies!

Grape Tomatos

Green Bell Pepper

Pre Sliced Mushrooms

Cooked Shrimp

And Baked Potato made the perfect side!

So what you want to do is heat up your grill. If you use charcoal like we did you definitely want to get this going first as it could take a while to heat up. He tested the heat by holding his hand above the grate and once he was able to hold it there for only 4 seconds he knew it was hot enough.

Next, prep your veggies by making sure they are clean, cut, and ready to go.

Due to the Summer heat we used a toaster oven to bake our ‘taters so it wouldn’t heat up the place. Either oven you use you will want to preheat to 400 and they will cook for an hour to an hour and a half.

To prep your spuds, first poke holes in them to avoid any explosions! Next generously rub them down with butter and sea salt (that will make the skin nice and crisp, and the inside super fluffy).

After that, you will skewer all the goodies along with the meat in any way you desire; I like to leave a small space between the meat pieces to assure that they are cooked through. If you use wooden skewers be sure to soak them in water beforehand so they don’t catch on fire!

Now it’s grilling time!

When you’re just about done grilling (nearing 15-20 min) is when you will brush on the honey. Heating the honey made it thinner so it was easier to brush on.

After you remove your perfectly glazed skewers dress up your potato how you like and dig in!